Siblings surprise mom for Christmas by paying off mortgage

SUGAR LAND, Texas - Three siblings got together to pay off a mortgage for their hard-working mother in Sugar Land over Christmas.

Nigisti Asgedom's children surprised her and caught her reaction in a sweet video on Monday night.

"She's mortgaged her whole life to help us so it's just paying back," said Shiellan Embaye, who initially got the idea eight months ago. "I love her dearly. Hopefully this gesture will show how much I love her. This is the greatest money I've ever spent."

Embaye had to sell her own home in Rosenberg and move home with her two little kids. She emptied her savings and her two brothers pitched in the rest. The total cost was $45,000.

"Every birthday, every Christmas, every holiday was in this house," Embaye said, referring to the home on Windmill Street. "I had sleepovers here; you know everything like that, it was home."

The home in Sugar Land the three siblings paid off for their mother.

Embaye said her mother, who bought the home when she was pregnant with Shiellan, has worked two jobs to try and pay for the house.

"She's had a pretty hard life and she's been through a lot," Shiellan said. "As soon as I made that decision, it was tunnel vision until December."

KHOU 11 did not get to meet Nigisti Thursday night because she was at her second job. Her children are hoping she'll be able to quit soon enough.